The 10 Commandments of African Cognitive Dissonance
1. We want to trade more with each other via the AfCFTA, the AU passport and someday a common currency.
We want to trade less with each other because importing things is bad. We resent imports. Thou shalt never import.
1. We want to trade more with each other via the AfCFTA, the AU passport and someday a common currency.
We want to trade less with each other because importing things is bad. We resent imports. Thou shalt never import.
2. Africans should be free to move around Africa because its internal borders are colonial and artificial - outsiders imposed these borders on us.
Togolese carpenters are taking Nigerian jobs in Lagos. There are too many "Makwerekwere" in South Africa. Please leave Eq Guinea.
Togolese carpenters are taking Nigerian jobs in Lagos. There are too many "Makwerekwere" in South Africa. Please leave Eq Guinea.
3. We want sociopolitical and economic freedoms as well as recognition of our human rights and freedom from violent state repression.
Western democracy is for white people. Allow Africa to grow at its own pace. We need benevolent dictatorship. Something something Lee Kuan Yew.
Western democracy is for white people. Allow Africa to grow at its own pace. We need benevolent dictatorship. Something something Lee Kuan Yew.
4. Christianity and Islam are colonial religions that should be secondary to our core identity as Africans. Something something UBUNTU.
We will never allow anyone not openly professing either of these faiths to hold any kind of leadership position.
We will never allow anyone not openly professing either of these faiths to hold any kind of leadership position.
5. Pre-colonial Africa was a socially cohesive, technologically advanced utopia.
Pre-colonial Africa was fraught with constant civil wars between autocratic hereditary monarchies, child mortality was anything from 40%-60%, and smallpox was worshipped as a god.
Pre-colonial Africa was fraught with constant civil wars between autocratic hereditary monarchies, child mortality was anything from 40%-60%, and smallpox was worshipped as a god.
6. Africa needs economic integration via the African Continental *FREE TRADE* Area.
"Free market capitalism is an extension of colonialism and open borders lead to 'dumping' and exploitation."
"Free market capitalism is an extension of colonialism and open borders lead to 'dumping' and exploitation."
7. Demand-led import substitution has never worked once since African countries started trying it in the 1960s.
60+ years of documented failure later, closing Nigerian borders to Beninois rice, and closing Kenyan borders to Ugandan maize is what will drive development.
60+ years of documented failure later, closing Nigerian borders to Beninois rice, and closing Kenyan borders to Ugandan maize is what will drive development.
8. We need a population of creative minded critical thinkers to be able to survive through the 4th industrial revolution.
We will continue running Victorian-style sit-down-and-shut-up educational systems that were out of date 30 years ago. We will also underfund education.
We will continue running Victorian-style sit-down-and-shut-up educational systems that were out of date 30 years ago. We will also underfund education.
9. We need more tech-driven disruption that leads to economic expansion across the continent.
All young men with laptops are internet fraudsters that must be extrajudicially executed if possible. What else could they possibly be doing with a computer?
All young men with laptops are internet fraudsters that must be extrajudicially executed if possible. What else could they possibly be doing with a computer?
Colonialism is terrible. Imagine having your language and culture stripped forcibly from you because someone from another country thinks that is what is best for you.
"kiSwahili should be adopted as Africa's lingua franca."
"kiSwahili should be adopted as Africa's lingua franca."
*Economics fail*
This should have read "supply-driven"
This should have read "supply-driven"
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